


Distortion

by voasshekh



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: AU, Abuse, Demon, M/M, non-con
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-28
Updated: 2018-05-03
Packaged: 2019-04-14 06:38:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14130267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/voasshekh/pseuds/voasshekh
Summary: He used to be afraid of the darkUntil it reached out and held his hand





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: this is NOT an accurate depiction of BDSM. This is not safe, sane, or consensual. 
> 
> If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship, you can get help at http://www.thehotline.org/, or by calling 1-800-799-7233.

Chapter One

His breath hitched in his throat as the hand wrapped around his throat. He shouldn’t have said it, he should have kept his mouth shut, he should know better-

“I’m done with your bullshit. You’ve tested one button too many. Walk.”

The hands pushed him roughly down the flight of stairs into the basement Dan had hoped he’d never see again. 

All he’d said was no. 

He didn’t want to go out that night, he was tired and stressed and his anxiety was starting to get the better of him. He wasn’t eating, wasn’t sleeping, and needed a night to relax and recuperate. Dominic wanted to go out and he’d asked Dan... but Dan should have known it wasn’t a request. His “no” was not received very well. 

His feet his the cold stone floor at the bottom of the stairs, the light flicking on the reveal a hellish torture chamber Dom liked to call his “playroom.” 

“Strip.”

Dan knew better than to speak or disobey. He kicked off his shoes, pulling off his shirt and kicking off his jeans a moment later. Since moving in with Dom, underwear was not an option. He wanted to be able to torment Dan- oh, sorry, pleasure Dan- whenever he wanted. 

He was pushed over to one of the devices, a table of sorts he was meant to lean over. He was pushed across it, his arms being spread out to the side and tightly strapped in. The metal dug into his wrists, but Dan knew better than to complain. 

His legs were forced apart, attached to the base of the table-like structure with the same cold metal digging into his ankles. 

“Your loud mouth has gotten you into enough trouble today,” came Dom’s voice from above him, as his mouth was wrenched open to fit a large ball gag in. It was buckled behind his neck, and a hood pulled over it shortly thereafter. 

Aside from the small slits along the nostrils that barely allowed him oxygen, Dan lost all senses outside of feeling. He heard nothing, saw nothing. As the metal cut into his limbs and the edge of the table dig into his waist he could feel his heart hammering in his chest, fear and panic beginning to overwhelm him. 

He waited in the blackness for what seemed like an eternity. He was hypersensitive to any movement he thought he could sense from around him; the cold air against his skin only furthering his feeling of vulnerability. 

When the first blow struck, he screamed through the gag. And the second. And the third. He stopped counting around when he stopped screaming, the shouts becoming sobs and then whimpers as the whip struck his back again and again. The skin burned where the leather struck it, beads of moisture from sweat and the blood off the cuts formed by the metal bits in the whip. 

His back throbbed, each new hit feeling like it was ripping open the flesh of his back. Each stroke of the whip very well could have been, the skin so raw from the abuse that it could have reached a breaking point. 

Dan could barely breathe through the mask, heaving sobs choking around the gag. His muscles were burning, his jaw from the gag, his wrists and ankles raw and bleeding from the metal cuffs digging into them. 

Then the onslaught stopped. 

Nothingness returned, almost worse than the pain. The fear and anticipation coursing through him, shooting his heart rate up if that was even possible anymore. 

He tried to calm himself and breathe before whatever torture still awaited him. He thought he could barely feel movements behind him, telling him that Dom hadn’t left him yet. 

The silence seemed to drag on, the buildup of anticipation and fear a favorite tactic of Dominic’s. He liked to make people suffer just as much fearing what he would do to them as much as he liked inflicting physical harm- at least in Dan’s experience. 

The splitting pain in his back was beginning to fade to a sharp ache, the moisture of the blood and sweat beginning to dry, when his ass was split in two. 

Okay maybe that wasn’t literal but it was close. Dom was huge, and him plunging himself with no lube into Dan’s unstretched hole felt like he was being ripped apart from the inside. Each thrust of Dom’s hips against his own seemed to reopen every lash against his back, seemed to rip the skin from around each of the cuffs trying him down as Dom moved Dan’s hips in tandem with his own. 

When Dom finally released into Dan, he nearly sighed with relief. He couldn’t scream or cry anymore, just lay limply and take whatever was dealt to him. He felt Dom slide his cock out of him, felt the cuffs get unbuckled from his wrists and ankles. He couldn’t move, and wouldn’t have risked it even if he could.   
The hood was pulled off of his head but he kept his eyes closed, not even sure he could open them if he’d wanted to. His body was defeated and exhausted. Pain shot through every nerve, his muscles relaxing leaving him limp and nearly lifeless. 

He was pulled off the table, being picked up and cradled in Dom’s arms. His head fell against his partner’s chest, the irony in his protective hold on Dan when he was the one who’d caused all the pain. He lifted Dan up the stairs, gently bringing him up another flight before carefully draping his limp form facedown onto the bed. 

A soft cloth began to wash over his wounds, the pain a constant buzz marked by stabs when the cloth hit a particularly brutalized area. His ankles and wrists, his rear, his back, all gently cleaned of blood, sweat, and semen. 

The soft hands working out the muscles that had gone taught from the bondage confused him.   
Every time Dom did this, shifted from cruel to caring in an instant, Dan’s brain couldn’t seem to handle it. This man had ripped the flesh from his back, raped him… and now was washing his wounds?

Cloths - gauze, he figured - were draped across his back, he could feel the slight tug of the tape securing it over the wounds. A sheet was carefully draped over him, leaving only his head and hands exposed from under it.

Dom moved Dan’s head to the side, reaching down and kissing him on the lips. The simple action made Dan want to throw up, but he stayed still. 

“I’ll see you in the morning, I love you Dan.”

Dan mumbled something close to “I love you,” knowing Dom expected it but not meaning a word. How could he?

Darkness fell over the room once again… but this darkness felt safe. Or as safe as was possible. Dan barely knew what safe was anymore. Despite all of Dom’s flaws, he meant it when he said he’d be back tomorrow. He’d give Dan time to recover before the next round of hell.

He couldn’t help the tears that began slipping from his eyes. The pain kept him from sleeping, but pure exhaustion pushed his emotions over the edge. He could barely move, but his body shook from the force of the silent sobs ripping through his chest. He hated his life, he hated Dom, he hated all of it, but he couldn’t do anything. He was helpless, trapped, good for nothing. His only purpose was to serve. Regardless of any toll on himself.

Soft fingers laced themselves through his, on the hand that had been draped over the edge of the mattress. Dan instantly froze - it couldn’t be Dom, those weren’t his hands. Dom’s were rough and controlling, these were soft and gentle and warm. A finger wiped the tears from under his eyes, an oddly long nail tracing in following. 

Dan opened his eyes, the red eyes staring unblinking in front of him seeming to be made of fire.

No words were spoken, but Dan wasn’t scared. He knew, somehow, that the being in front of him wasn’t going to hurt him. He wasn’t sure that there was much that could hurt him more than Dom already had. 

The being climbed into the bed next to Dan, it’s talons delicately placing the sheet over the pair. 

"Sleep," a deep voice seemed to echo through Dan’s mind. "He can’t hurt you right now." It’s humanoid figure settled in, fingers brushing lightly over Dan’s eyes to shut them.

For the first time in months, he drifted off to sleep, fear floating out of his mind as the creature behind him kept guard over him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Abuse and BDSM are two different things! This is in NO way an accurate depiction of BDSM, and should not be treated as such.
> 
> If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship, you can get help at http://www.thehotline.org/, or by calling 1-800-799-7233.

Chapter Two

Dan winced as he stretched, yawning. Waking up seemed easy after actually sleeping, rather than dozing a few minutes at a time. Blinking, he stared at the wall where he’d seen the eyes the night prior.

It must’ve been a dream… right? 

His fingers traced over where he’d felt the tears wiped away the night before.

“Maybe I’m going crazy, seeing things,” he muttered to himself, flopping back over onto his stomach. 

He nestled his head on his hands, closing his eyes for a moment before he heard a sharp knock on the door. A miniscule sigh later, Dom was standing over him.

Callused hands pulled the sheet from over his body. Modesty was long gone in their home - Dom had never much cared for Dan to be wearing clothes. Dan kept his head resting on his hands, his eyes shut as the bandages were carefully lifted from his back.

The peroxide stung as Dom cleaned the few places where the whip had broken the skin, but Dan tried hard to to wince. He let out a long sigh as the last bandage was applied, Dom pushing on his shoulder to cue for him to roll onto his sore back. 

“Keep the bandages on. I have to work today, I’ll clean it again when I get home. You can move about as you wish, but you cannot go in the basement, nor can you leave the house. Understood?”

“Yes, sir.” Dan bit back a snide remark. Where was he supposed to go? He had nearly no money, Dom wouldn’t let him work. He had nothing. But he didn’t need another whipping.

Dom kissed him. “Behave.”

Dan listened to the doors shut, until he knew Dom was gone.

He slowly slipped out of bed, nearly crying out as the pain from the previous night’s punishment sunk in. 

“Least I’m not in the cage,” Dan muttered to himself, slipping into one of his few pairs of sweatpants.

He carefully made his way down to the kitchen, grabbing the breakfast Dom had left for him in the fridge and settling onto the couch to watch some anime.  
***

Dom found him like that when he got home from work a few hours later.

When he walked into the living room, Dan sunk to his knees next to the couch, head down and arms behind his back, as he was expected to.

“You ate?”

Dan nodded.

“You behaved?”

Dan nodded.

“Good boy. You can relax.” 

Though he moved back onto the couch, the tension didn’t leave his body. He could hear Dom moving about the house, changing into sweats and checking that Dan had done as he was told.

When he’d assured that Dan had obeyed, he went back into the living room. 

“I have a call to make for work. Go wait in your room.”

Ah yes, the joys of corporate America. Perfect work life, CEO of a major company, hiding your slave at home. 

Dan nodded, turning off the television and going upstairs. 

His room was tucked away, up a hidden flight of stairs on the top floor of the house. Dom wanted somewhere for him to go, so he wouldn’t disturb any of his fancy work parties. 

It was simple, a bed and a desk and a small dresser, less expensive than the guest room he’d stayed in the night before. He’d gotten to choose most of the decor, back when he’d first moved in… back when he’d thought he loved him.

He pulled a notebook and pen from the drawer of the desk, walking over to sit in the window seat he’d begged Dom for almost a year before. He’d filled it with blankets and pillows, a few Pokemon and Totoro plushies he’d gotten when Dom had been feeling particularly kind - or sorry. 

Gazing out the window at the forest behind the manicured lawn, Dan started to write. He didn’t know what he was writing, he just put words on a page and watched them twist into stories. Stories of a long lost past, a future he’d never have. Stories of happiness and freedom, of running in the woods and doing what he pleased.

Hours past, the light quickly fading to dusk. By the time the pen finally lifted from the notebook, he’d nearly filled half the pages. 

The intercom resting on his desk crackled to life, Dom ordering him downstairs for dinner. He tucked the notebook into the desk, on top of a pile of others, and made his way downstairs.

As it was most nights, dinner was tense. Dan never spoke unless spoken to - and Dom wasn’t one for idle chatter. 

“How’s your back?” The phrase broke the silence. It wasn’t caring, or it didn’t feel it. The words seemed harsh, cold. 

“Sore.” He quickly filled his mouth with food, hoping Dom wouldn’t expect him to speak much more. He had a habit of saying the wrong thing, flipping some invisible switch that set him off. 

“I’m leaving for two days. Conference for work. There will be a list of chores, and I expect updates. I’ll check in on you every few hours. Am I understood?”

Dan nodded. 

Dom’s hand gripped his tightly, painfully, reaching across the table. “Verbal.”

“Yes sir.” Dan ducked his head, hoping to avoid punishment. 

“Good. When you finish eating, wait in my room. I want to spend some time with you before I leave.”

When he finished his meal, Dan got up, bringing his dishes to the sink before going upstairs. He removed his clothes and dropped them in the laundry room on his way by. He knew what Dom expected, what he wanted, and it did not involve clothing, aside from the leather collar that had adorned his neck since he’d moved in nearly a year before.

When Dom came upstairs, he was waiting on his knees by the foot of the bed. Legs spread, hands clasped behind his back, head down. He’d stretched himself beforehand, more for his own sake than anything else. He knew Dom wouldn’t bother. He never had before. 

“Stand.”

Dan obeyed, keeping his eyes on the floor and his hands behind his back. 

“On the bed. Hands and knees.”

Dan obeyed. 

There was a time that movement thrilled him, a time this position had him ready for anything. 

Now, that feeling was marred with fear. 

Dom’s hands gripped tightly to his hips, his own nude form aligned behind Dan’s. Dan grit his teeth as Dom slid into him, thankful that it was slow to start. 

The movements sped up, rough and bordering on painful against the tender skin of Dan’s arsehole. His back stung with each thrust, the barely healing cuts twisting ever so slightly. Dom’s breaths got heavier behind him, moving faster and faster until he released into Dan’s hole. The salt from his cum stung the raw area. 

Dan hadn’t gotten off. He hadn’t expected to. He was nothing more than an object, for Dom’s use and pleasure. 

“Lie down,” came the order from behind him, as Dom’s cock slipped out of him. 

He curled onto his side, as close to the fetal position as his back would allow him without pain. He felt Dom lay down behind him, a sharp tug on his collar ordering him to scoot back into Dom’s arms. 

Dan laid awake for what felt like hours, the anxiety from being in Dom’s bed too much to allow for sleep. 

He’d reached the half awake stage of haziness, where his body and mind fought each other over the blessing of sleep, when he started to search the darkness. His eyes flitted to ever corner of the room, every darkened shadow behind dresser or door.

He saw nothing. 

Moments after his eyes shut, fiery red ones opened across the room. They stayed, unblinking, unmoving, guarding over him as he slept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More chapters coming soon! Let me know what you think :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: The events of this are a) fictional and b) BAD. This is in no way an accurate representation of BDSM, and should not be treated as such. 
> 
> If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship, you can get help at http://www.thehotline.org/, or by calling 1-800-799-7233.

Chapter 3

 

_ “You embarrassed me! All I ask is that you behave and yet you chose to run your damn mouth in front of my employees!” _

 

_ Dan was shaking, staring up at Dom from where he’d been shoved to the floor. He’d never seen that side of him before. _

 

_ “I was just speaking to him! He was talking about Sonic, I love that game!” _

 

_ Dom shook his head, glaring over Dan. “I expected more from you.” _

 

_ Hands pushed him onto his knees, ripping the suit jacket from his arms. The tie was pulled from around his neck, and tied around his mouth as a gag. _

 

_ “There. Quiet. Finally.” _

 

_ Dan reached up to pull the gag from his mouth, when Dom’s hand struck his face. _

 

_ “I didn’t tell you to remove it, did I? Stand.” _

 

_ Dan obeyed out of shock. He didn’t know what happened, where his Dom disappeared and this cruel man arose.  _

 

_ “Come with me,” he was pushed down the hall to the basement door. Dom had never let him go down there before, he thought it was only for storage. As he stepped down the last few stairs and looked around, he realized exactly how wrong he was. _

 

_ The room was black, with lights illuminating fixtures carefully arranged about the room. Chains adorned the walls, racks full of whips and crops and things Dan couldn’t even begin to describe. There were chests of drawers laid between them, and he wasn’t sure he ever wanted to know what was in them. _

 

_ He started to struggle against Dom’s grip on his arms, protesting through the gag. Another slap quieted him as the shirt was pulled harshly from his body, fabric tearing under Dom’s grip.  He was pushed over one corner or the room, a small metal cage set by the wall. It looked like a dog kennel, thick silver bars with a door on one side.  _

 

_ Forced to his knees, Dan’s hands were tugged behind his back. Cold metal dug into his wrists, locking them together. More metal locked around his ankles, digging into the skin.  _

 

_ “Get in.”  _

 

_ He fought, struggled, but the metal tore the skin of his limbs and Dom forced him into the small cage. The door was shut, padlocked. There was no way he was getting out.  _

 

_ He slammed his body against the cage regardless, shouting as loud as he could through the gag. Dom simply turned, shut off the lights and walked up the stairs. The basement door slammed, and Dan was left alone in the dark. _

 

“This should keep you out of my way for a while,” the voice startled Dan out of the memory. Rope, this time, bound his arms and legs, twisting and knotting to render him immobile. A large ball gag muffled his protests, a large butt plug forcing his ass painfully wide. The cage seemed to have shrunk from the last time, barely fitting his folded form. The padlock clicked shut, the door slamming moments later.

 

Once again, he was trapped.

 

Dom had come home from his trip miserable. He’d had to deal with insolent employees while away, and despite the work Dan had done to clean the house, his presence in front of the television instead of on his knees at the door had set Dom into a fit. He spoke out of turn, asked if Dom needed help with dinner, and he’d found himself landed in a cage. 

 

The darkness seemed overwhelming, crushing. The ropes dug into his flesh… but at least he’d learned not to struggle.

 

He managed to roll himself onto his side, where it was slightly less painful. He knew from experience, though, that by the time morning came around his muscles would be cramped and painful - and there was no guarantee that Dom would let him out by morning. 

 

Laying there for what felt like hours but could have been minutes, he let his mind drift away. He let himself dream, anything to distract him from the painful bondage and hell that Dom put him through. 

 

Lights flickered somewhere across the room, the thought fluttering through Dan’s brain before he realized. Lights. No one should be down here.

 

When he looked again, flaming red rings stared back at him.

 

The monster had returned. 

 

Dan stared back, unable to speak through the gag but wanting to know. It seemed to sense this, somehow, it’s humanoid figure unfolding and becoming clearer as it crossed the room.

 

As it approached, the fire of its eyes seeming to outline a blacker darkness of its body, tall and slender, human but not. The air it existed in seemed to shimmer, none of what he was seeing making sense in Dan’s head. What the hell was it?

 

_ Guardian _ , the word echoed through his skull, Dan jumping as much as he could from his twisted position.

 

What the fuck?? 

 

What the hell was this thing, and how could it hear his thoughts? Was he going insane?

 

_ You’re not insane, _ whatever it was voiced through his head.  _ I am a protector. A guardian. _

 

Dan supposed he should have been afraid, but he wasn’t. He was tied up, gagged, locked in a cage, and conversing telepathically with a demon creature made of shadows. So a normal Saturday. But something kept him from panicking, at least immediately.

 

_ Do you have a name? _ He tried to direct his thoughts toward it, and hey, if he knew it’s name, it might make it less terrifying… right?

 

The creature stared at him for a moment.  _ We are called the Vendirae, _ it finally responded. 

 

Great. He had no idea what that was. Or why the hell it was crouched in front of him.

 

_ We exist to protect,  _ the voice echoed.  _ We are meant to keep the worst evils from our humans. _

 

Well you’ve done a rather shitty job of that, Dan thought, before realizing the last thing he wanted to do was insult the demon thing that could very well still kill him.

 

It… was that laughter?  _ No, I’m not going to kill you. We cannot kill our humans _ .

 

So wait. There were more of it?

 

_ Yes. Each human has one. Some care more than others. _

 

Then why hadn’t anyone seen them before?

 

_ We’re not supposed to been seen. Though it’s happened before… it’s not common. Only when it’s necessary. And for you, Daniel, I couldn’t leave you like that. _

 

A sound akin to laughter bubbled around the rubber ball in Dan’s mouth. Not to be an ass, but if the damn thing was supposed to protect him, how the hell did he end up like this? Ropes crushing him, fear suppressing him, no longer allowed to be himself?

 

Silence.

 

Finally, it spoke.  _ We are bound, by ancient laws, by the fabric of our beings. I should not have shown myself, I was barely granted the ability. It is rare that Hades takes pity. You are one of few in centuries. _

 

Dan didn’t know what to think anymore. So, somehow, he was expected to believe this thing, that could fully be a figment of his pain-addled imagination, was there to protect him?

 

_ I will do what I can for you, _ the voice echoed.  _ For now, sleep. _

 

His began to close, seemingly of their own accord but Dan couldn’t help but question. He wasn’t scared. Skeptical, yes… but nothing could hurt him much more than Dom already had. 

 

The pain eased slightly, though he hadn’t moved. He felt his mind drift away, off to an impossible peaceful sleep.

 

His last fleeting thought, an unconscious plea for help from the only thing in a year that had shown him any sort of kindness, not marred by pain; please don’t leave me alone.

 

_ I won’t leave you, Dan, _ a final echo rebounded through his skull. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Just another reminder that this is soooo not what a relationship is supposed to look like! Stay safe, guys! 
> 
> If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship, you can get help at http://www.thehotline.org/, or by calling 1-800-799-7233.

Chapter Four

 

_ One year ago today. _ The pen slowly traced across the page, directed by a shaking hand. 

 

_ One year ago today, I moved in with Dom,  _ he tried to continue, handwriting faltering as the emotions began to overwhelm him. He clicked the pen closed, shutting the notebook and gently setting the two next to him. He sat back up, leaned against the window seat, and let the sobs take over his body. 

 

Memories clashed through his head, twisting and shouting a cacophony across his mind, none of them making sense. Snippets of time danced and flashed, like a pounding force in his head just wanting out. 

 

His hands twisted their way into his hair, but his thoughts were racing so fast that he couldn’t comprehend the action until the pain kicked in. 

 

He tried to breathe, pulling at his hair to keep the pain in his mind. It centered him, almost, slowing his thoughts until a single memory unravelled through his thoughts.

 

_ “I love him.” _

 

_ Silence met him across the table, his mother, father, and brother ceasing their meal to look at him. _

 

_ It seemed like eons later when a voice finally broke the silence.  _

 

_ “What?” Dan’s father asked tensely. _

 

_ “I love him,” Dan repeated. _

 

_ He heard his mother sharply let out a breath beside him, his father locking him in a dead stare.  _

 

_ “Adrian, please go upstairs. We need a moment with your brother.” _

 

_ “Yes, mum,” his brother responded quietly, bringing his dishes to the sink. The tension in the room hung thick and heavy, nearly drowning them in the small dining room. _

 

_ His parents looked at each other, silent but somehow communicating, until they finally looked back at their eldest son.  _

 

_ “What do you mean, you love him?” Dan’s mother asked with a shaky voice. _

 

_ “He understands me,” Dan answered firmly. “He treats me well, he gets me, and he loves me. We’re meant to be together, mum. He says he wants to wait until I’m twenty-one for us to marry, but we know that’s what’s going to happen.” _

 

_ If he’d been paying attention, he would have noticed the tears in his mother’s eyes, the tightening of his father’s hand over his mother’s across the table. But he didn’t see any of it. He’d been so blind. _

 

_ “Daniel,” his father began slowly, “you are nineteen years old.” _

 

_ “I’m aware.” _

 

_ “Please let me finish.” _

 

_ Dan rolled his eyes, bu stayed quiet. _

 

_ “You are nineteen years old. You’ve known Dominic for only a year now, and only been dating him six months. I understand that you care for him, and I am okay with that. But you need to realize that he is six years older than you. You’re barely old enough to even be in a relationship with him, Dan. You can’t lo-” _

 

_ “Don’t say I can’t love him, Dad!” Dan stood up from the table, glaring at his parents. “I’m so glad that you two don’t want your oldest child to be fucking happy! You don’t see who he really is, all you see is his age and tattoos and you refuse to believe that someone could actually love me!” _

 

_ “Dan!” his mother was crying, his father standing to meet him face to face.  _

 

_ “Dan, all we want is what’s best for you! We don’t want you rushing into a relationship you’ll regret with a man you barely know!” _

 

_ “But I  _ do _ know him Dad!” Dan stormed upstairs, slamming his bedroom door behind him and grabbing his cellphone to text Dom. _

 

_ Dan: My parents hate me. _

_ Dom: They don’t hate you, _

_          Dan. _

_ Dan: Yes they do! They won’t _

_         consider that maybe I’m _

_         happy with you. _

_ Dom: Are you okay? _

_ Dan: No. _

_ Dom: Do you want to stay _

_          at mine tonight? _

_ Dan: ...can I? _

_ Dom: Of course, my love. _

_ Dan: Pick me up in ten. _

_ Dom: On my way. _

 

_ Dan threw his phone charger, headphones, and a change of clothes into the backpack laying on his floor. He knew he had anything else he needed already at Dom’s house.  _

 

_ He walked back down the stairs, his parents stopping him in front of the door. _

 

_ “Where the hell are you going this late?” his father confronted him. _

 

_ “I’m going to Dom’s, where I’ll actually be treated like a human.” _

 

_ “Dan, please,” his mother tried to plead, but his father cut her off. _

 

_ “Let him go. He won’t be happy if he doesn’t make his own choices. And he clearly can’t see that we’re trying to do the best by him.” _

 

_ Dan opened the door, walking out before glancing back behind him. _

 

_ “I love you,” his mother whispered, tears flying from her face. _

 

_ He looked at his dad, seeing the briefest hint of a tear before the door slammed behind him. Moments later, Dom’s car pulled into his drive. He threw his bag into the seat, crying by the time he got the seat belt buckled.  _

 

_ “Shh,” Dom murmured, pulling Dan into his chest. “It’s okay, my love, it’s going to be okay, I’ve got you.” _

 

_ He hadn’t spoken to his family since that night. _

 

A sharp knock on his door pulled him out of his memory. Footsteps up the narrow set of stairs preceded Dom entering, Dan quickly trying to wipe away his tears.

 

He fell to his knees next to the seat as was expected of him, hoping Dom wouldn’t notice he’d been crying.

 

“Look at me.”

 

Shit.

 

Dan looked up, his face betraying him instantly.

 

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m sorry, sir, just a memory,” he tried to brush off the question, a futile attempt to get Dom to focus on something else.

 

“Daniel,” the cold voice telling him he had better answer honestly.

 

“I was just thinking about my parents, sir, I haven’t seen them in a year.”

 

“No, you haven’t. And you’re better off without them, remember? I take care of you. I give you all you need, my little submissive, and you’d do best to remember as much.”

 

“Yes sir.” Dan knew there was no point in arguing. 

 

“Good boy. Go clean yourself up and meet me downstairs. I need a bit of company tonight.”

 

A quick “yes sir” got Dom to leave, Dan sniffling quickly. He couldn’t think of memories anymore. This was is life now, all he had. He had nowhere left to go, so he’d better get used to it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter than usual, but I hope you like it! More to follow :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Don't treat people like this. Seriously. There's a line between BDSM and abuse and this has beyond crossed it. Stay safe!
> 
> If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship, you can get help at http://www.thehotline.org/, or by calling 1-800-799-7233.

Chapter Five

 

Dan yawned, stretching as he woke up. He hadn’t noticed falling asleep, but the nap had felt good. Glancing at the tv, he noticed that he’d been out for two hours. 

 

“Damn,” he muttered to himself, before the phone buzzing on the end table beside him quickly broke him out of his sleepy daze. 

 

_ 5 missed calls from Dom _

_ 10 messages from Dom _

_ 1 voicemail from Dom _

 

Shit.

 

He scrambled to pick up the phone, realizing that was what had woken him up.

 

“Hello?”

 

“You didn’t answer,” the cold voice on the other end of the line spoke sharply. Dan bit his lip, trying not to cry though he knew he was screwed.

 

“I’m sorry, sir, I fell asleep, I didn’t notice the phone going off but it won’t happen ag-”

 

“Don’t bother with excuses, you should have answered. You’ll face consequences when I get home”

 

Dan squeezed his eyes shut, but he couldn’t stop the tears from falling. All he’d wanted was one good day - but he should have known that hope was pointless. 

 

The line was silent until Dan remembered he was supposed to respond.

 

“Yes sir.”

 

“Be ready when I get home.”

 

“Yes sir.”

 

A soft click let him know the call had been ended, and he could let his tears flow freely. 

 

He knew what was in store for him, the faint scars that poked through his tan skin told him as much. His back and thighs, from whips, his wrists and ankles, from restraints, he was barely himself anymore. Dan was who Dom had created him to be. 

 

He barely noticed himself walking upstairs until he’d reached his room. Sitting on the bed, he buried his head in his hands and cried. He’d lived a year without hope, without control, without himself. He didn’t know how much more of him was living. 

 

It wasn’t a decision, exactly, just a whim, but before long a backpack was pulled out of the long-closed closet in the corner, clothes thrown inside. A few of his notebooks and some pens followed, those constituting most of his belongings. A glance at the clock told him that he had two hours until Dom got home. Just enough time to escape.

 

He shut the light off behind him as he left his room, glancing back once to his small refuge before shutting the door behind him. There was nothing left here for him. This house was once his refuge, full of love and happiness. Now all it held was fear.

 

Dan was almost to the stairs when Dom walked in the front door, and his heart dropped to his throat.

 

“Put down the bag.”

 

Dan moved to put the bag down, but stopped himself. He’d made a choice. It was time to stick by it.

 

“No.”

 

The word almost surprised him, he barely knew that he had a voice of his own anymore. But he needed to do this. He needed to be free.

 

“What did you just say?”

 

“I said no. I’m leaving.”

 

Dom scoffed at him. “You have nowhere to go, I’m all you have! Sit your ass down like the slut you are, you’re going to be punished for this.”

 

Yea, Dan was scared. It was just shy of a miracle that he wasn’t falling to his knees in terror. But he was done being Dom’s slut.

 

“I’m leaving. Let me go.”

 

Let’s just say Dom didn’t take that answer well.

 

He came flying up the stairs, Dan ducking to avoid the hands grabbing for him.

 

“Did you think I wouldn’t see you trying to leave on the cameras? I told you you’re forbidden to leave. I trained you to be better than this.”

 

Dan nearly laughed at him.

 

“Trained me? You beat me! You turned me into an empty shell, Dominic. I’m a grown fucking man, I can make my own choices. And I’ve made my decision. Now let me go.”

 

“You’re mine, Daniel, you do as I say. And watch your language, slut.”

 

“Fuck you!” Dan moved to push past him towards the stairs. 

 

With that, Dom lept at him, Dan jumping backwards and feeling hands push against his chest as he tried to move away.

 

Pain exploded through Dan’s body as he tumbled down the stairs. He couldn’t break his fall, he was moving too fast. An ear splitting shriek split through the air, the thud of Dan’s body hitting the landing breaking through before he realized the screams were his own. 

 

Footsteps chased him down the stairs, Dom kneeling over him shortly afterwards. “Dan, Dan, talk to me, are you okay? No, you’re not, shit, no no no!”

 

If he hadn’t been so focused on not throwing up, Dan would have found Dom’s panic funny. Come on, the super strong control freak panicking? But in his current state, it was all he could do to hold himself together.

 

“I’m sorry, sir,” he panted through an odd mix of tears and screams, the small confident part of him shrinking back to the fear he’d associated with pain since Dom began to break him.  

 

Dom’s hands found moved over his body, finally settling on his leg and producing another shriek from Dan.

 

“Stop, Dan, stop! I need to fix this, you can’t, shit,” words spewed from Dom’s mouth but Dan barely heard them.  He could barely see, the pain blacking out the edges of his vision. He couldn’t escape it, couldn’t escape the pressure pushing so painfully down on his leg, he just needed everything to go away-

 

_ Breathe, Dan. _ The familiar voice echoed through his head, as the pain shooting through his body faded ever so slightly. He gasped a breath, each inhale easier than the last. Dan opened his eyes, not quite sure when he’d closed them, to see a body flying across the room.

 

_ You will not hurt him anymore _ . The force of the voice seemed to shake the darkened room, Dan barely able to make out the massive shadow standing over a cowering Dom. The powerful, cruel, never faltering force ever present in Dan’s life was now curled in the fetal position, hands protecting his head, shaking and whimpering.

 

“Please, please don’t hurt me, I’ll do anything!” the prone figure begged. The demon seemed to laugh, before pointing a clawed finger at him. Dom started to struggle against some invisible binding, tying him in place in a ball on the floor.

 

_ Stay there, you worthless fool. _ It turned, gliding across the room towards Dan and kneeling down gently next to him.

 

_ Sleep. _ It’s fingers drifted lightly over Dan’s eyes, willing them closed. He heard sirens in the distance, speeding towards the house, the noises fading as he lost consciousness. 

 

Just as he drifted off to sleep, he thought he heard something else, so faint that he could have imagined the now-familiar echo through his mind.

 

_ You’re safe now, love. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all! Hope you're enjoying it!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally got this written! Usual disclaimer, be safe! Don't take Dan and Dom's relationship as acceptable (if you are, you have sorely missed the point of this fic). Anyways, hope you enjoy!

Chapter Six

 

There was a rhythmic beeping coming from somewhere beside him, the first thing to spark his attention as his brain began to focus. He didn’t dare open his eyes, even as the memories started to come flooding back to him. 

 

He slowly became more aware, hearing muffled voices and machines around him. There was pressure in each of his arms, and he could barely feel his leg at all, but he still didn’t tempt moving.

 

The beeping on one of the monitors sped up, and moments later footsteps softly yet quickly approached.

 

“Sir?” a woman’s voice asked, a hand settling to rest on his arm. Dan carefully opened his eyes, blinking against the harsh influx of light.

 

His eyes darted around as his vision began to clear. A hospital. Duh. That made sense. 

 

The nurse spoke again, asking how he was feeling. Dan stopped looking around and focused on her, her thin face framed by long black hair that was falling out of a ponytail. She was old, her eyes kind. He wasn’t exactly sure how he felt; too many emotions and too few emotions were somehow simultaneously swirling their way into a confusing jumble in his mind.

 

He cleared his throat and tried to speak anyways. “What happened?” His voice was raspy, his throat raw and sore from something that had happened - the memories were still a blur in his mind. 

 

She avoided his question for a moment, reaching up to adjust the oxygen tube thing in his nose. Dan flinched, a reflex. The nurse quickly moved her hand away, apologizing.

 

“No, sorry, it’s fine, it’s not your fault,” Dan tried to reassure her, but she waved him off. 

 

“Sir,” she began, hesitating slightly. “I’m going to call in the doctor, but the police would also like to speak with you.”

 

Dan took a deep breath, holding it for a moment before exhaling an audible rush of air. Somewhere, though not via conscious thought, his mind had known that was coming. 

 

“Okay,” was all he replied, when he finally connected his thoughts to form words.

 

“I’ll go fetch them, then,” the nurse turned, leaving Dan alone.

 

Now that he was slightly more awake, he started trying to piece together the cacophony of thoughts and memories pounding at his head.

 

Glancing at his hands, he noticed they were covered in bruises. His leg looked huge under the thin blanket covering him. He assumed it was covered in bandages or something - that was where he remembered the most pain, Dom’s hands gripping his leg in a vice-like grip, the pain and screams becoming unbear-

 

A knock on the door cut off the string of terrified memories. Dan shook his head quickly, as if trying to shake out the thoughts, as a doctor and a police officer walked into the room. 

 

“Daniel, right?” The doctor asked, waiting for Dan’s nod before continuing. “I’m Doctor Byzotti, and I’ll be taking care of you for the next few days. How are you feeling?”

 

Dan shrugged, trying to form a response in his mind and answer the question for himself before he opened his mouth. “I’m alive, I guess,” he half-joked, not quite able to describe the clusterfuck clashing through his mind.

 

Dr. Byzotti smiled, walking over to the side of the bed. “Don’t worry, you’ve had a rough go of it from what I can tell. Now,” he paused, almost cautiously. “I’m going to ask you a few questions, Daniel. They may not be the easiest to answer. If it’s okay, I’d like Officer Menga,” he motioned to the officer standing beside him, “to be here as well. Does that sound alright?”

 

Dan hesitated for a moment, then nodded. He just wanted this over with.

 

Officer Menga spoke up then, his voice deep and soothing. “It’s okay to be nervous, we don’t want to push you too much. We just want to be sure that you’re safe.” He pulled two of the plastic chairs from beside the window to the side of the bed, and the two men took a seat.

 

***

 

Despite all of their efforts, by the time the doctor and officer left the room, Dan was a sobbing mess. There were pictures, now, pictures of every scar left by every handcuff, every whip crack.

 

Evidence, they called it.

 

Reminders, Dan called it.

 

He’ relived memories he hoped beyond all else that he could erase from his mind. They kept saying he could stop, that they could take a break, but he couldn’t stop then just to rip all those wounds back open just a few hours later.

 

At the very least, he had found some things out. His leg was broken in two places, an “open tib-fib fracture,” they had called it. He’d had surgery to pin it back in place, hence all of the bandages wrapped around his leg. He was covered in bruises, but that was normal. They would heal in time, as they always did.

 

He asked about Dom, he wanted - no, needed - to know where he was, if he had to fear the man ever walking through his door again. But all they said was that Dan was “safe.”

 

He didn’t think he knew what “safe” meant anymore.

 

A nurse came in a few moments after the men left, the same woman as before. 

 

“Shh, sweetie, it’s going to be okay,” she tried to calm him ,grabbing a syringe from the cart she’d brought in with her. “This is going to make you sleep for a few hours, okay?”

 

Dan could barely breathe, at that point he just wanted everything to go away, so he nodded.

 

She reached up to the IV stand next to him and injected the medication into one of the lines that ran into his arm.

 

It took a few minutes for the drugs to take effect, the nurse holding his hand and singing gently to him as his mind began to haze over.

 

He focused on her accent, the Northern tone apparent in her voice as she sang.  _ Why is she so kind to me? _ He wondered to himself, feeling entirely undeserving of any kindness. But shortly after the thought, his eyes closed, and his mind drifted off to sleep. 


End file.
